The attics, basements and garages of my down-sizing clients are often where I find some of their most valuable treasure. It seems these are the places we stash those things we have no use for, but can’t bring ourselves to throw away. While we are confined to home for the next few weeks, this might be a good time to rummage through your storage. I bet you will find things you forgot you had!
We all switched to computers and cell phones years ago and when we did we may have set back an old typewriter. Collected by the Millennials for their vintage appeal and by serious collectors for the market value, old manual typewriters from the 1950s and ‘60s are very much in demand. The most common ones are black or gray and sell in the $30-$75 range. However, if you are lucky enough to have one in bubblegum pink or turquoise you can multiply those numbers by 10. Names to watch for include; Royal Typewriter, Smith Corona, Underwood and Olympia. Condition is a major determinate when setting value, so check carefully for dings and scratches and make certain that the keys work.
Unused tickets to major sports events can be of considerable value and sometimes surface in a box of mementos and important papers from a family estate. If you have been storing away such a box to through “later,” this might be a good time. Super Bowl tickets are among some of the most sought after. While you could purchase a 1967 Super Bowl ticket for $12, they are now selling from $300-$700 for a worn one and well over $1,000 for one in mint condition. Most paper tickets have a yellow or blue stripe at the top, but the really valuable tickets will have white stripes. To the right collector these can bring as much as $3,000.
Nothing lifts the spirits like pulling out those vintage 45’s and albums and listing to some good old rock ‘n roll. The problem is, many of us no longer have a turntable…or do we? As technology advanced, and sound systems became more sophisticated, the lowly turntable found itself stashed in the corner of the attic. To the delight of many, old vinyl records have seen a resurgence in popularity over the past decade and with them a demand for turntables from the 1960s and ‘70s. In most cases a turntable that has sat unused for years will need to be refurbished. This will set you back on the average of $75-$100, but the end result is a great looking, great sounding piece of the past. Names to watch for include Thorens, Lenco and Acoustic.
Costume jewelry of almost any type has a market. The handicraft enthusiasts love batches of bulk scrap and collectors are paying good money for marked mint condition pieces from famous designers like Elsa Schiaparelli, Eisenburg, Chanel and Miriam Haskell. Amazingly enough you don’t need to be looking at precious stones and diamonds to be looking at money. Gold and sterling are both desirable as are quality made rhinestone and semi-precious stone pieces.
From 1933-1968 the Singer Sewing Machine Company produced a series of lock-stitch domestic machines they named the Featherweight. During the run of this model an estimated 3.5 million machines were sold, making them fairly easy to find. These machines and their attachments are popular both with collectors and quilters who are willing to pay in the $100-$150 range for the 301/301A models and as much as $1,800 for the 222K from the mid 1950s
Finding yourself with some extra time on your hands? It might be time for a treasure hunt. Let me know what you find. Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates. She is currently not taking new clients.